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Labour MP 'sorry' over expenses Labour MP 'sorry' over expenses
(about 1 hour later)
Labour MP Harry Cohen has apologised to fellow MPs for a "particularly serious breach" of expenses rules over a £70,000 second home allowance claim. Labour MP Harry Cohen has apologised to voters and MPs for a "particularly serious breach" of expenses rules over a £70,000 second home allowance claim.
He claimed the sum on a property in his Leyton and Wanstead constituency, while letting his main home in Colchester. He claimed on his constituency home in Leyton and Wanstead, east London, while letting his main home in Colchester.
Mr Cohen told the House of Commons he had "no intention of wrongdoing".Mr Cohen told the House of Commons he had "no intention of wrongdoing".
Meanwhile, Lib Dem MP Jeremy Browne, and Labour's Ann Cryer and Patrick Hall have had their appeals against demands to pay back expenses upheld.Meanwhile, Lib Dem MP Jeremy Browne, and Labour's Ann Cryer and Patrick Hall have had their appeals against demands to pay back expenses upheld.
With some 80 MPs due to hear if their appeals were successful Mr Hall, who represents Bedford and Kempston, successfully overturned a demand for him to repay around £260. With some 80 MPs due to hear whether their appeals were successful Mr Hall, who represents Bedford and Kempston, successfully overturned a demand for him to repay around £260.
Taunton MP Mr Browne has been told he will not have to return nearly £18,000. Taunton MP Mr Browne has been told he will not have to return nearly £18,000 after contesting auditor Sir Thomas Legg's ruling on claims for mortgage interest on his second home.
He had contested auditor Sir Thomas Legg's ruling on claims for mortgage interest on his second home. Mrs Cryer, who represents Keighley, West Yorkshire, also won her appeal against a "substantial demand" but will repay £1,600 for three household items.
Mrs Cryer also won her appeal against a "substantial demand" but will repay £1,600 for three household items. Grant forfeit
'Vindicated' Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards John Lyon found that Mr Cohen had consistently designated the Colchester house as his main home since 1998, so claiming various constituency properties as his second home.
Sir Paul Kennedy, who was appointed to hear appeals, said Mr Browne acted "openly and honestly" when making his claim. However, between 2004 and 2008, Mr Cohen lived mostly in the constituency, while periodically letting out the Colchester house to tenants on six-month leases.
Mr Browne said he felt relieved and vindicated, but "not elated". He received more than £70,000 in second homes allowances, when an outer London MP with just one home would have been entitled to claim just £9,000 in the London supplement over the same period.
He was the first of the 80 MPs who challenged Sir Thomas's requests to repay money to make the results of his appeal public. Mr Cohen told MPs: "I am sorry for my assumption that I was eligible to claim as I did, which was wrong."
Labour's Frank Cook, Frank Field and Patrick Hall and Tory Bernard Jenkin are also among those known to have appealed since the orders were made in October.
Mr Browne, who is a Lib Dem Treasury spokesman, became MP for Taunton in 2005 and raised the deposit to buy a home in the constituency by remortgaging a London flat he had owned for several years.
My name has been cleared and my reputation restored Lib Dem Jeremy BrowneMy name has been cleared and my reputation restored Lib Dem Jeremy Browne
It meant the mortgage on his London flat increased from £130,000 to £190,000 - he designated the flat as his "second home" and went on to claim expenses on the interest of the £190,000 mortgage. "I have the greatest respect for Parliament and would not intentionally have wanted to do anything to tarnish its reputation. I am sorry if I have done so."
The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee, which ordered Mr Cohen to apologise, ruled he must now forfeit a £65,000 resettlement grant due when he stands down at the forthcoming general election.
The committee accepted that the couple had moved from Colchester in 2004 while Mr Cohen's wife Ellen underwent treatment for a stroke at a north London hospital.
But while it acknowledged that the couple had always intended to retire to the Colchester house, it said it should have been clear that would not happen in the short term.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Browne was the first of the 80 MPs who challenged Sir Thomas's repayment requests to make the results of his appeal public.
Sir Paul Kennedy, who was appointed to hear appeals, said Mr Browne had acted "openly and honestly".
The MP said: "Although I feel vindicated I do not feel elated. The expenses revelations have severely damaged public trust in politics."
Claims 'justified'
Mr Browne, a Lib Dem Treasury spokesman, was elected in 2005 and raised the deposit to buy a constituency home by remortgaging a London flat he had owned for several years.
It meant the mortgage on his London flat increased from £130,000 to £190,000, he designated the flat as his "second home" and went on to claim expenses on the interest of the £190,000 mortgage.
Sir Thomas said he should only have claimed interest on the £130,000 mortgage and asked Mr Browne to repay the difference - £17,894.24.Sir Thomas said he should only have claimed interest on the £130,000 mortgage and asked Mr Browne to repay the difference - £17,894.24.
But former judge Sir Paul has ruled that the MP's claims were justified after all and for "the very purpose" the second home allowance was designed for. But former judge Sir Paul has ruled that the MP's claims were justified and for "the very purpose" the second home allowance was designed.
In a letter to Mr Browne, Sir Paul wrote: "My terms of reference require me to consider whether in your case there are special reasons showing that it would not be fair and equitable to require repayment either at all, or at the level recommended.In a letter to Mr Browne, Sir Paul wrote: "My terms of reference require me to consider whether in your case there are special reasons showing that it would not be fair and equitable to require repayment either at all, or at the level recommended.
"I find that such reasons do exist." Ann Cryer said the repayment demand was a slur against her
Mr Browne said: "I have always maintained that I behaved properly when I used my own money to buy a home in Taunton and rejected alternative arrangements that would have actually cost the taxpayer more. "Such reasons do exist."
Jeremy Browne was the first to signal publicly his intention to appeal Mr Browne said he had acted as he did to save the taxpayer money.
"My name has been cleared and my reputation restored with the confirmation by Sir Paul Kennedy that I acted 'openly and honestly'. "My name has been cleared and my reputation restored," he added.
"Although I feel vindicated I do not feel elated. The expenses revelations have severely damaged public trust in politics." Mrs Cryer said she was "pleased" her matter had been "clarified".
Ann Cryer, Labour MP for Keighley, West Yorkshire, said she was "pleased" the matter had been "clarified". "It wasn't just a question of the amount, it was a question of a slur made against me."
"It wasn't just a question of the amount, it was a question of a slur made against me.
"My claim in the first place for the rent was absolutely legitimate, it was honest and no blame could be attached to me," she said.
Retrospective limits
When the expenses scandal broke in May, Gordon Brown asked Sir Thomas to look for mistakes made in expenses claims approved by the Commons Fees Office over five years.When the expenses scandal broke in May, Gordon Brown asked Sir Thomas to look for mistakes made in expenses claims approved by the Commons Fees Office over five years.
But Sir Thomas angered many MPs by applying his own retrospective limits on what he thought should have been claimed for gardening and cleaning.But Sir Thomas angered many MPs by applying his own retrospective limits on what he thought should have been claimed for gardening and cleaning.
Meanwhile government sources have confirmed to the BBC that International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander did not have to repay any money for his expenses claims. Meanwhile, government sources have confirmed to the BBC that International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander did not have to repay any money for his expenses claims.
Sir Thomas had originally queried a payment of £420 for garage doors which he said was duplicate, but following an exchange of correspondence, the claim was dropped and Mr Alexander was not among those appealing.Sir Thomas had originally queried a payment of £420 for garage doors which he said was duplicate, but following an exchange of correspondence, the claim was dropped and Mr Alexander was not among those appealing.
Labour's Frank Cook and Frank Field, and Tory Bernard Jenkin, are also among those known to have appealed since the orders were made in October.